The existence and continued acceptance and use of the World Wide Web and the Internet have resulted in many new and useful applications becoming available to users of the Internet. One such application which is growing in popularity is known as “instant messaging” or “IM”. Various IM applications are provided from many sources but all such applications have many common features.
In general, IM applications enable a user to register with an IM server on the World Wide Web or other network using the Internet. Such applications may also be accessed through other local area and wide area networks as well. When a user accesses an IM application, the user inputs the user's personal information together with a user identification (ID) and a password. The user is then enabled to designate a user name which the user will use to identify himself or herself in subsequent “chat” sessions or in sending messages to and receiving messages from other users.
Instant messaging has become an important part of both personal and business communications. Millions of users communicate using instant messaging systems every day, and as such, functionality and usability enhancements are important to the continued success of this communication tool. Instant messaging applications do, however, have serious flaws and/or shortcomings which must be corrected if they are to continue to thrive as a communications vehicle.
For example, with current applications, when a user exits the program and goes off-line, only a brief reference is available to other on-line participants to indicate the on-line status of the departing user. In many instances, when “buddies” (i.e. individuals identified and designated by a user to be included on the user's “buddy list”) of a user log-on to an IM application, they can determine only that the “User is Off-Line”, or “Unavailable”. These perfunctory announcements are generated by an IM server and are typically automatically provided and accessible to all when a user logs-off from an IM application
Thus, there is a need for an improved methodology and system for enabling improved instant message processing in electronic communication systems.